Last night, around 11:00 p.m., I woke up sweating. My hair was wet and my t-shirt felt damp. I stepped down from my rack to change my shirt and noticed that my throat didn’t hurt as much as it had for the past few days. My sinuses were nearly clear, and my headache was nearly gone. I was feeling better.
I went back to bed and slept until 3:04 this morning. My energy level was high and I thanked God for healing me and returning my strength. I climbed down from my rack, gathered my writing gear, and walked to the room where I begin each morning.
I had to catch up on my work. Over the previous two days I wasn’t nearly as productive as I need to be. Today I had to respond to a lengthy letter from my collaborative partner on a project we’re developing. Writing my response took several hours and 10 pages, but the effort was necessary to clarify creative direction and focus. We’re writing a book to help university students and business groups understand the relevance of ethical training.
At six this morning I went outside to exercise. As soon as I took my first steps on the track I knew that I had passed through the worst of my illness. When that cold came on, I worried about it interfering with my continuous streak of running. I didn’t want to break the streak that I’ve been building since December 12, 2008. I’m convinced that regular exercise contributes to my good health. I was thankful to finish 10 miles this morning and follow that run with 300 pushups.
While eating dinner this evening I sat with Tom, a new prisoner who recently self-surrendered. He lived near Seattle but had worked as a CFO for a large, privately held company based in Alaska. Before self-surrendering Tom read about Taft through my journal entries, and during dinner this evening he told me how helpful the descriptions of prison life were to his mental preparation for the time he would spend in prison. We’re both assigned to D-Unit, so I look forward to talking with Tom and learning about the experiences that brought him to Taft Camp. It’s always a treat for me to meet new people, especially those who held leadership positions in society. I learn from listening to them.
Since I’m feeling better, I told Carole over the phone that it was a cold, not allergies, that had made my voice sound so raspy. I feel fortunate to have her love and concern, but until I’m home I have to deal with any illnesses on my own.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
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